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The Mercedes-AMG F1 team is reportedly set to return to its traditional silver livery for the 2022 season. At the start of a delayed 2020 campaign the “silver arrows” chose to run an all-black livery in support of the “Black Lives Matter” campaign.
Initially suggested by Lewis Hamilton, the black livery was used by the team for its 2020 and 2021 campaigns. The seven-time world champion is the only black driver on the F1 grid and a vocal proponent of black representation in motorsports.
During the FIA press conference at the Russian Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton was asked whether he had any objections to Mercedes switching back to the old livery. The Briton replied, saying:
“I don't have a particular feeling towards it, I am not involved in that particularly now, for next year.”
“It is originally the Silver Arrows, and I did expect when I asked if we could make the car black last year in terms of the symbolism, what the intent would be moving forward in terms of support.”
“I wasn’t expecting it to last long and we carried it into a second season which is awesome.”
“If it goes back, it will be a nice change and it doesn’t deter us from the changes we are making internally and we continue to push for diversity, even working with all our partners.”
In addition to the black paintwork, Mercedes also launched their “Accelerate 25” initiatives late last year. With this, the team aims to improve diversity and inclusiveness within itself over the next five years.
Meanwhile, Hamilton set up an eponymous commission to find ways to improve diversity in motorsports. The commission submitted its findings to the FIA and all F1 teams earlier this year.
Furthermore, both Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes launched a foundation with more than a million dollars in funding to encourage and help children from diverse backgrounds to get into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) fields.
"Mercedes Silver" just as iconic as “Ferrari Red”
Up until 1968, when the FIA officially allowed “sponsorship liveries”, F1 teams usually ran their cars with their “national colors”. Cars ran in tones such as Italian Red, French Blue, British Green, and German Silver. This was common practice in Grand Prix racing even before F1.
Mercedes have raced with their iconic silver livery throughout their Grand Prix racing history dating back to 1934.
During their initial stint in F1 between 1954 and 1955, the German team dominated the sport with Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, earning the nickname “silver arrows”.
Mercedes, however, pulled out of all motorsports, including F1, after the 1955 Le Mans disaster, and the silver livery disappeared from racing. More than three decades later, the iconic livery made its return in 1987 when the German constructor returned to sportscar racing with the Sauber team.
In the '90s, Mercedes partnered with McLaren resulting in a competitive package. In 1997, the “silver arrows” livery finally made its return to F1, when McLaren ran it for the first time that season.
